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Jan. 15, 1957 J, C, MLLLER 2,777,179

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Filed May 5, 1954 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR JOSEPH C. MILLER BY 'MM 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O CLIP Joseph C. Miller, Compton, Calif., assignor to Coast Envelope Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 3, 1954, Serial No. 427,224

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-66) This invention has to do with `binder devices, and while it is useful for various temporary binding operations, it iinds its chief utility as a temporary binder element for holding a pass-book or the like in a binder for bank check filler pads. Such binder elements must be capable of 'being economically made, must enable the user to readily insert a pass-book or the like into and remove it from the binder element, and should be of such character that while the passbook is being retained by the binder element the passbook may be opened and inspected without removing it from the binder element.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a binder element which meets those requirements and which also functions to securely hold a pass-book or the like in a binder.

How those and other objects and advantages are achieved will be best understood from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of my invention for which purpose I shall refer to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a checkbook filler pad binder incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken .on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 'is a bottom view of a binder element taken on line 3 3 of Pig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective of one of the binder elements.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 5 denotes a binder for a conventional ller pad 6 of bank checks held in the binder by clamp 7, which clamp may be of any suitable construction. I nd it advantageous, however, to use a clamp such as that shown in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,488,823.

The binder 5 has a medial longitudinal fold line 8 so that its top or cover half may be folded over into covering relationship to the ller pad 6.

For the purpose of temporarily retaining the passbook in such position in the binder that it may be opened and examined without being removed from the binder, I provide a pair of binder elements each of which is generally designated 'by the numeral 20, said binder elements being secured -in the binder in opposed relationship as will be hereinafter explained.

Since both binder elements are of the same construction it will suice to describe only one of them-that is, each comprises a fiat bottom portion or jaw 22 and a relatively short top portion or jaw 23 intersecting the left or inner end of the bottom portion in a U-shaped portion 24. Each of the binder elements 20 is made of a resilient material, preferably a metal stamping, and the top portion is pre-stressed so that when the binder element is empty the top portion will resiliently bear against the underlying bottom portion 22. Preferably the outer end 25 of the top portion is curved upwardly to facilitate inserting the edge of the back cover sheet of the pass-book 15.

An opening is provided in the top portion 23, and

a rivet hole 32 is provided through the bottom portion in position co-axial with the opening 30. A plurality of circumferentially spaced pointed tongues or barbs 33 are preferably struck out of the bottom portion 22 around the rivet hole 32 and bent downwardly into posi-tion perpendicular -to the plane of the bottom portion, so that when the binder element is pressed against the inside of the cover 9 the tongues 33 penetrate the cover and hold the binder element against rotation relative to the cover.

Each of the binder elements 20 is further secured to the cover 9 by means of a rivet 35 whose inner or top end is headed at 36, the head extending into the opening 30 to a point above the plane of the bottom surface at the top portion, so that when a sheet is being held in the binder element `the rivet head 36 forces or embosses that portion of the sheet underlying the opening 30 upwardly into the opening to further resist its escape from the binder element.

One of the binder elements 20 is mounted on the cover adjacent the fold line 8 and adjacent the top edge 9a of ythe cover, with the open end of the binder element facing the opposite end of the cover, and the other binder element is mounted on the cover adjacent the opposite end edge of the latter and adjacent the fold line in opposed relation of the binder element. That is, the open end of each of the binder elements faces the other binder element.

The conventional pass-book 15 shown in the drawing has a back cover 15a of relatively stiif paper, such as cardboard, and the end edge portions of the back cover 15a are inserted in the binder elements by forcing the edges ol the back cover 15a under the curved portions 25. The binder elements are so spaced in relation to the length of the back `cover 15a that when the end edges of the back cover are fully inserted into the binder elements they terminate against or closely adjacent the U-shaped portions 24 of the binder elements. Thus the rivet heads 36 tend -to emboss the back cover 15a upwardly into the openings 30.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention I wish it understood that it is capable of being embodied in other and modied forms without departing from the spirit of the invention and the broader scope thereof as defined by the accompanying claims.

I claim: p

1. In a binder, retainer means for temporarily holding a ilexible sheet against said binder, comprising a strip of resilient 4material bent transversely upon itself between its ends and defining opposed top and bottom jaws, the top one of which -has a recess therein and the bottom one of which has a fastener-passing hole therethrough in register with said recess, said jaws being presprung to be normally substantially in contact with each other around said recess, and a fastener extending through said hole and securing said bottom jaw to said binder, said fastener having a headed top end of smaller diameter than said recess and projecting upwardly into said recess beyond the plane of the bottom surface of said top jaw whereby, when said sheet is inserted 'between said jaws, to emboss said sheet upwardly into said recess.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said bottom jaw has a flat free end portion and wherein said top jaw is relatively shorter than said bottom jaw and is curved upwardly therefrom at and adjacent its free end.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 644,148 Rosenthal Feb. 27, 1900 756,106 Exline Mar. 29, 1904 2,400,058 Concannon May 7, 1946 

